Over My Head
by Bookworm622
Summary: What if Scipio had decided not to ride the mary go round? What if he had left it alone and went back to his father's where his uncle had arrived...
1. Chapter 1

_**I never knew**_

_**I never knew that everything was falling though**_

_**That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue**_

_**To turn and run when all I needed was the truth**_

_**But that's how it's got to be**_

_**It's coming down the nothing more than apathy**_

_**I'd rather run the other way than stay and see**_

_**The smoke and who's still standing when it clears**_

_**Everyone knows I'm in**_

_**Over my head**_

_**Over my head...**_

**Over my head by The Fray..**__

* * *

**Chapter one: A narrow alley, Scipio, and Ida**

A young man ran through the tourists, his shined shoes pounding against the brick pavement. The water rippled with life as he passed the corner and into one of the many alleys of Venice.

He leaned back against the wall of one of the houses of a middle class house owner and caught his breath. His chest heaved as he closed his dark eyes and ran a hand though his brown hair. His normally pale face was flushed from running.

"Now what?" He murmured to himself, as he undid his suit's button and loosened his tie. Rolling up his sleeves, he caught sight of a bruise from his uncle- the retired army general. His father, Dottor Massimo, had insisted they started with lessons today; today had been pain.

_Pain all right, _Scipio thought with a scowl before standing more upright and wondered where to go.

_The Stella? No the police have raided that place. But- Ida, she has Prosper- and the gang… _Scipio sighed and shook his head, before making his way through the shadows, waiting until nightfall to make his way to Idas'.

Scipio climbed over the gates, panting slightly, before hoping down. His bad luck just had to kick in for he landed on his sprang ankle. Biting his lip, his limped toward the backdoor and picked the lock. A skill he had long perfected; he had to learn how to steal from his father's vault, which was as easy as talking back to his uncle.

Scipio made his way through the door, his body aching in protest at his movements but he shook them off.

"Why hello Scipio," An amused voice said. Scipio kept his composure as he turned to face Ida, her face filled with amusement and concern.

"You come to gather your friend for another raid?" Her voice tightened slightly at the thought of them stealing anything. However, thankfully, he shook his head, his black eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"No," his voice drifted towards her, giving her the relief she needed.

Scipio shifted with an uneasy look as he glanced around the kitchen. Ida felt a smile tug on her lips.

"Would you like to stay for the night?" Scipio flashed a smile that lit up his handsome face.

Ida led the Thief Lord to an empty bedroom. The walls were tan and the rug was soft under their feet, preventing any noise that would wake the other occupants in the house.

Opening a white woodened door, she hustled him in and let him look around. There was a large four-poster bed on the left wall, with rich colored blankets. On the opposite wall held a fireplace and two windows on each side of the fireplace. Ida looked around with content; this had been one of her favorite rooms. She opened one of the drawers and placed a pair of pants and silk shirt on the bed, with soft socks.

"Once your done with that, I'll place it in the washer," Ida said.

"You can burn it if you want," She heard him mumble, but he shot her a smile before grabbing a towel and a robe before heading to his bathroom.

Scipio tugged off his tie and shoes, then unbuttoned his blue shirt and pants before stepping into the hot water. He grabbed a washcloth, soaped it, and rubbed lightly his bruises on his torso. The hot water felt great, unlike the cold shower his father forced him to take every morning.

He dried himself off, placed the robe on and brushed his teeth with the toothbrush. As he did, he thought of Riccio and his teeth. He grimaced, thinking of what his father would have thought of those.

_Probably thinking he was a beggar, _Scipio thought looking at himself in the mirror. His black eyes stared at him with mystery. He remembered the fury his father had unleashed on him when he had learned they were his friends.

He managed to get dressed in the cloths she had set out for him before sitting down in front of the fire. It cackled and warmed his body but left him wondering if he had to go back to his fathers.

"Are you decent?" Ida's muffled voice asked though the door. Scipio said, "Yes. " She opened the door, spotted him near the fireplace, and smiled.

"Are you hungry?" Ida asked. "Because I can whip up anything." Scipio frowned and answered, "No ma'am." His stomach however, protested, but was unheard over the cackling fire, which made Scipio grateful.

He tossed and turned, tried to count sheep, but none of it helped. His rumbling stomach kept him up.

Slipping out of his room, he silently made his way down the staircase and into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, bringing cold into his face. He searched the fridge, gladly finding left over turkey, steak and potatoes. He loaded that onto a large plate, covered it and heated it up in the microwave. He leaned against the stove as he waited, but stiffened hearing a noise. He turned to meet the eyes of Prosper.

Prosper tried to keep his face neutral as he meet the dark eyes of Scipio. The silence was overbearing until the microwave timer went off with a beeping noise. Neither moved, but Prosper could tell Scipio was hungry, one being the face he loaded his plate with food as if he hadn't eaten for days.

"So," he whispered, "what brings you here? Need food? But that's impossible; your daddy would feed you in a second." He felt a sneer on his face. Scipio kept his eyes on him before turning to the microwave and grabbing plate and placing in on the table, not eating.

Scipio went to say something when his stomach growled loudly, making him ting with an embarrassed red. Prosper sighed and sat down across from the plate and nodded to Scipio. He sat down to and ate stiffly, his eyes on the plate.

After half the plate was gone, Scipio placed his silverware down and met the light blue eyes of Prosper.

"Why are you here," Prosper questioned, his face flittered with emotions. Scipio kept his face passive and ran a hand through his hair.

"I ran," He whispered, his dark eyes staring back determined not to show weakness. Prosper tried to keep him own but had to look away.

"The others won't be happy about this," he said. Scipio shoved a piece of steak into his mouth.

"No," he swallowed and sighed, pushing away the empty plate, "but I'll have to convince them I meant no harm."

"Riccio is not going to listen," Prosper murmured before turning to Scipio.

"No, but I'll try to talk," Scipio said. He got up stiffly, grabbed his plate and placed it in the dishwasher. He closed the cover, leaned against the counter, and closed his eyes.

Scipio closed his eyes, trying to count to ten, to relieve the tension wielding up in his chest.

"Why didn't you pursue your search for the carousel?" Prosper soft voice brought him back to reality. Opening his eyes, he said back, "I learned even if I was grown up I would still have the wisdom of a teenager. I need to learn as I grow." Scipio nodded to Prosper before slipping back upstairs to get some decent sleep before the showdown at breakfast.

The next morning Ida smiled at her guest as they shoveled food into their mouth. She scanned the children. Prosper, Bo, Hornet, Riccio and Moscua. However one was missing, the Thief Lord himself, Scipio.

"Hello Ida," A soft voice made the whole group shoot their heads up to look into the face of Scipio. He wore the cloths she had washed for him, his face void of any emotion. He did not look into the eyes of his gang, but smiled mysteriously at Ida before sitting down next the Prosper, who nodded to him before turning back to his breakfast.

"Hey Scip!" Bo said happily, despite the looks of hate on the others.

"What are you doing here, rich boy?" spat Riccio, his eyes smoldering. Scipio looked into the younger boy's without conviction, his own eyes glittering with mystery.

He went to open his mouth when Bo started to cough, his face turning purple. Scipio reacted quickly by hitting hard on the back and Bo spit out a piece of bacon, gasping. Scipio rubbed the six- year -olds back smiling softly.

"Thanks," he crocked before taking a sip of water.

"Where did you learn how to do that? Special lessons from daddy?" sneered Moscua. Ida blinked and wondered what was going on.

"What is this all about?" She asked with a frown. Everyone looked up at her, than shouts came at her, well beside Scipio, who sat back, and watched amused.

"He-,"

"Lied to us, saying he-,"

"Dad, no fair-,"

"Thief Lord ha!"

"Wait!" She shouted trying to calm down the shouts of the three kids.

"Scipio, tell me what is going on," she said calmly, wondering what this was about a father. They were all orphans. Weren't they?

Scipio got up, turned his back to them, before taking a breath, and began his story.

"Do you know Dottor Massimo?" A simple question caught her off guard but she frowned and thought of the name. It came to her full force. The man who had millions of dollars, he was cold and rude. He had rejected her ideas and glared at her with deep black eyes.

Wait, she looked up into Scipio's deep black eyes and it dawned upon her whom his father was.

"He's your father," she breathed. He nodded, and sighed.

"I grew up with him hanging over my head, always making negative comments, teaching me that thieves were cruel, deceiving people. I, however, wanted to prove him wrong. My mother had left me at six and then I knew I had a chance that I could separate from my father. I found Riccio and Moscua when I was thirteen and brought them to the Stella.

"I became the Thief Lord when I first stole for my new friends and kept them safe from all those who were looking for them. I- I when I met Prosper and Bo, I knew I had to tell you about my father and his wealth but I never had time. I wanted it to be a secret but it came out I never told you my reason for keeping it close." Scipio took a breath, leaned against the doorway, before nodding to her, and Prosper. "I will see you soon." Ida knew he was only speaking to Prosper and Bo, as the rest were glaring holes into his back as he sauntered out of the room and let the door close with a slam.

* * *

**Here it is, my new story... Tell me what do you think of Scipio, was he in charater? ** I love him in the movie.. SO HOT!!! 

Bookworm622


	2. Chapter 2

_**I could be mean, I could be angry  
you know I could be just like you**_

_**I could be fake, I could be stupid  
you know I could be just like you**_

_**You thought you were standing beside me  
you were only in my way  
you're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you (just like you)**_

**Just like you by Three Day's Grace**

**Chapter 2: Of long weeks and canal water**

** Scipio** walked calmly down the street leading toward his house- more like mansion. He had his hands in his pocket, his eyes downcast as he thought of a way to get out of the house to met Prosper and the rest of the gang.

Scipio, who was too distracted in his scheming, did not notice an older man walking along, a box hiding his view of the street. He stumbled and hit Scipio on the shoulder.

"Scusi," Scipio said, before turning his eyes to the man or woman he had bumped into. It turned out to be Victor, who was gathering up his boxes.

"It's okay, lad," Victor said before looking up into the eyes of the Thief lord.

"Chow Scipio," he said before making his way to Ida's house, with his boxes under his arm, making it easier to see.

Scipio nodded to Victor, before taking a deep breath and opening the door to his house, hoping for some miracle.

He met his uncle and father's furious eyes, before closing the door and winced. They smirked at each other before coming closer to him, with looks that promised a hard time getting up in the morning.

Someone up there hated him.

* * *

Prosper leaned the railing in the Stella as Hornet read to Bo from one of her new books. The reason they were back here is because- well it was where they called home. Now that the police knew about it, they would think anybody would come in it. However, they set up a defense system in case anyone unwanted entered.

"Life is good," Riccio said with a wide grin, showing off his rotten teeth. He was currently eating some cake- a welcome home present they had bought with the money Ida had given them.

Prosper wrapped his coat closer to his body, as the winter chill entered the room as Mosca opened the door and came in with a frown.

"What wrong?" Bo asked, getting up from Hornet's lap.

"I need some money," he said looking over at the money bin only then to gasp and widen his dark eyes.

Prosper made his way next to Mosca only to widen his eyes also and say," There's no more money left!"

"What!"

"How?!"  
Prosper put the empty can down and shook his head.

"I don't know why but it seems we need to be more careful about how we spent money," Prosper said, before fishing though his pockets. He placed the money Scipio had left in his room. It was enough for no but they needed to find a way to get more money.

And fast.

* * *

"So how do we steal from them?" Hornet asked, glancing around at the rich kids, who wore suits, stood proper, and stiff. Riccio leveled everyone with a look that showed he was sizing them up.

"So," sneered an arrogant voice from behind the group. Hornet, Prosper, Riccio and Bo whirled around. A boy of Scipio's age stood there. He had deep blue eyes and pale, flawless skin. He wore a very expensive suit. He stood towering over them, his face twisted into a look that said 'I – am – better –than anyone- especially – you.'

"What do we have here?" His slippery voice made Riccio scowl.

"We're-," Hornet began, but the rich boy opened his mouth and cut her off with a shout of, "THIEVES!"

They froze as the bodyguards came towards them, their faces menacing. Riccio's eyes darted for a sign of escape but found none. They were closing in when a cool voice interrupted all the muttering and the bodyguards stopped all together.

"I suggest you back away," said the voice. The gang turned their eyes to Scipio, who wore like all the other rich kids, a suit but his face was not twisted with the look of arrogance as the other but a passive glare held steadily at the bodyguards.

"Yes Mr. Massimo," the two bodyguards murmured before leaving. The arrogant boy scowled and stalked off.

"How about you guys leave," Scipio said, his voice calm, his eyes swirling with leadership.

"I should have known you would be here, rich boy!" Riccio spat before stomping off, Hornet followed but not before shooting Scipio an angry look. Prosper smiled at Scipio.

"I've been waiting a week Scip!" Prosper said, a frown starting on his face.

"I haven't been able to escape my uncle and father's gaze. I might be able to get out on Sunday; father will be going away with my uncle. See you soon." With that, he whirled around and disappeared into the crowd. Prosper and Bo gazed after his retreating figure before leaving to catch up with the others.

* * *

Scipio frowned and gathered up enough the pile of money he had saved for the gang before putting it in his wallet. It was 20,000 lire; he hoped it would last before they got a job again.

He slipped the money into his drawer, sighed and opened his extravagant door. His father stood right outside, his face twisted into a sneer at the sight of his son. Scipio knew his father had hated him since the day he was born. His mother had wanted children when she had married his father, however his father did not want any, but his family urged him to have an heir. He was the only child who could have children- his uncle's wife died when he had been serving the army and he never looked at anyone the same way since- and they needed to continue the line of the Massimos.

"You ready for your lesson?" However, before Scipio could answer, his father grabbed his arm, shoved him into his study, and locked the door. His uncle stood at his father's desk, a leather belt in his hands and a twisted grin on his face. Scipio glanced at his father before he felt his father tug on the neck of his shirt, gesturing for him to take it off. Scipio turned to glare at his father but his father's steady look stopped him.

He took of his shirt and winced as it brushed past his bruises.

"Hold him still," his uncle's sickening voice met his ears. Dottor Massimo nodded and grabbed his son's forearms and turned him around, his back facing his uncle.

The first lash came with a swift, acute pain but Scipio held him breath and tensed.

After every few blows, his uncle and father traded places. They did not stop until the belt broke skin. Scipio bit his lip and arched his back slightly in pain.

Dottor Massimo examined his _son's_ back before nodding to his brother to let him go, but John shook his head and gestured to the bottle on his study table. At a closer look, it was alcohol and salt mixed. Dottor blinked and shook his head.

This was not something he would have thought to do to a relative but his son needed discipline. Never the less, the bottle on the table crossed the line. It hurt to put salt on wounds, it hurt to put alcohol on wounds, but to mix them together and than place it on lashes, would be extremely painful.

"Seriously," scowled his brother. "You've always been too soft!" He let go of Scipio, who stumbled and held himself upright with the door. John grabbed the bottle, a cloth and opened the bottle. He dapped some on the towel before shoving his son into the door. John smirked and sneered into his son's ear, "This is a goodbye present." He pressed hard with the cloth on his son's opened lash. His son let out a soft but pain filled moan.

John rubbed the cloth up and down his son's back before refilling it when it dried. His son's back was turning red from the blood that smeared off his cut. It was agitated by the alcohol and was bubbling by the salt.

He let go of Scipio, who almost crumpled on the carpet but Dottor grabbed his son's arm and said, with some part of his mind yelling at him as he did, "Don't get any blood on the carpet. Wrap your back and don't get any blood on your cloths!" He shoved his son out the door and across the hallway and into the bathroom.

His son leaned against the toilet as he raided the cupboard and found bandages and another cloth. But this time he wetted it and said," Turn." Scipio looked at his with suspicion but did as he was told. Dottor felt his son tense up like a dog who has been hit to many time. Dottor felt a part of him telling him that his brother had gone to far with the bottle. However, he ruled it out with the thought of his son's stubborn face glaring at him.

He wiped his son's back, blood filling the white cloth. Dottor grabbed a towel and pressed it against the cut, willing it to stop bleeding. The lash was on the curve of his son's back. Dottor felt the cloth stop filling with blood so he withheld the cloth. He did not want blood on his son's cloths it would raise suspicion.

He wrapped his son's back before turning him around to meet his son's face. It had so many of his mother's- admittedly- stunning features but he had his deep black eyes that the Massimos were famous for.

"Don't say I never did anything nice for you," he whispered softly, his voice still intimidating. His son stared back before nodding softly and putting his deep blue shirt on. He went to leave but paused in the doorway.

"Thank you."

* * *

Tying his mask onto his face, he slipped out of his window and onto the guest house roof. He gazed at the half moon with a feeling of freedom before sliding down the gutter pipe out onto the streets of Venice.

A rat skittered by as he rounded the last corner to the back entrance to the Stella. He had never shown the gang this entrance, as it was one of his ways being in undetected.

He slid though the door and onto the stairway up to the sleeping floor. He snuck around the sleeping forms of Riccio, Hornet and Mosca before shaking awake Prosper. His brother lay asleep with an angelic expression on his innocent face.

Prosper shot up and toke one look at Scipio before saying," Why are you here?"

"I came be-," But Scipio stopped when he felt an acute pain to the side if his head and he crumpled in a heap on Prosper's mattress, blissful unconsciousness meeting him.

"Why did you do that?" Prosper exclaimed in shock as Riccio lowered the pan and nodded satisfied at Scipio's form.

"The better question is why he is here?" Hornet asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Prosper scowled and bent down next to Scipio, feeling his head. There was not any blood but they would have to look out for a sign of concussion.

"I would have known if you hadn't knocked him out!" Prosper said, straightening up and shooting them a look.

"Whatever!" Hornet was obviously hurt by Scipio's lies and wouldn't listen to him. Mosca appeared next to Riccio.

"Let's tie him up-,"

"And throw him in the canal!" Riccio smirked, his eyes swirling with hurt. Hornet shook her head

"Lest search his head for any tracking devices or things like that…"

"And his wallet!" Riccio said gladly grabbing Scipio's limp body, but had trouble moving him.

"Man he needs to lose some weight!"

"Maybe you're just too small," Mosca teased but helped Riccio drag Scipio off Prosper's mattress and onto the floor where they raided his pockets.

"Look what I found!" Hornet said triumphantly. She opened it and gasped. Prosper looked over her shoulder and his jaw dropped. Maybe this is what Scip had been here for, to give them money. However Hornet had a different idea about it.

"Look at this wad of cash! He sure gets a lot of money from daddy!" Hornet fished out the money and quickly counted it.

"20,000 lire! Just enough to keep us feed for about a week or two!"

"Yes!" Riccio said. He grabbed the rope Mosca handed him and tied Scipio's hands and feet together. He pulled tightly and said," Lets get him to the men's bathroom!"

Prosper had first watch over Scipio but he knew Scipio would be up for at least a few more hours. His lay on his back, tilted slightly up against the wall.

Even in unconsciousness, Scipio's face was guarded. His face was pale and Prosper hoped he was not catching a cold. It would be bad if Scipio died on them and his father arrested them all for murder.

"What's Scip doing tied up?" Bo had finally awakened and was standing in the doorway looking at Scip with a bewildered expression.

"Long story," Prosper sighed before Bo sat in his lap and waited for their friend to wake up.

* * *

**Hey loves!**

**Thanks to the two people who reviewed… sigh How do I know if I have everyone in character if no one reviews? **

**I can't wait to hear from you! **

**Bookworm622**


	3. Chapter 3

**See the devil on the doorstep now  
My oh my  
Telling everybody ,oh just how to live their lives  
Sliding down the information highway  
Buying in just like a bunch of fools  
Time is ticking and we can't go back  
My oh my**

**What about the world today  
What about the place that we call home  
We've never been so many  
And we've never been …  
So Alone**

**Keep watching from your picket fence  
You keep talking but it makes no sense  
You say we're not responsible  
But we are, we are  
You wash your hands  
You come out clean  
But fail to recognize the enemy's within  
You say we're not responsible  
But we are, we are  
We are**

Ana Johnson, We Are

**Chapter 3: Trapped inside a men's bathroom and my ex- wife's at the same party as me**

A sharp pain flared in Scipio's back as he tried to slide up the concrete wall. Jagged rocked cut into his shirt but Scipio managed to sit up, his legs still tied. His arms were cut and bloody, as being the only thing protecting his shirt from ripping in the back. His grimaced, laid his head back, and sighed.

'Pathetic,' sneered a voice that sounded like his uncles. 'You're tied up by children. Thief Lord, yeah right!'

Scipio closed his eyes but as he did the door creaked open and than closed. He opened his eyes and found him staring at Riccio's blue eyes.

"Hello Riccio," he said dryly. "How's your day?"

"Shut it! I only came in here to tell you that dinner is-," He smirked and held out a moldy piece of bread and murky water. "Compliments of the canal outside." He placed them on the floor next to him before striding out. Scipio looked at it with disgust, shook his head and worked on untying his ropes- well more like cutting them with the rocks that currently dug into his arms.

'Father must be having so much fun!' Scipio thought mentally rolling his eyes. 'Spending time with my drunken uncle and meeting women! Oh Yeah!'

* * *

Dottor Massimo, despite his son's belief in him having fun, was not having as much fun as you would think. I mean, yeah he was on a boatload of women (in bikinis), in the Caribbean (with more women). However, he was stuck in a broom closet, a mop in his face, hiding from his ex-wife, Sarah.

He had spotted her with another man, her brother actually. Dottor had to admit she looked as stunning as she did when they had been married. She had dark hair (like their son) a pale face (like their son) and was stubborn to boot (like their son.) Sarah, who was actually an American, had come to Venice to study their culture, but ended up meeting him. Dottor frowned; He did not know if he had loved her, but the feeling he had felt for her must have been love, or teenage hormones.

Dottor sighed. The reason he was in this situation was because.. well, he actually didn't know why.

_"Hey Massimo!" yelled a fellow doctor. Dottor looked up and smiled, well rather smirked. His business partner was dancing on the tables with a red-haired woman. He was laughing and slurping away at his drink. John was currently leaning against the bar table and talking to some blonde. He was obviously drunk because John normally avoided women. Since the death of his wife and child, he didn't trust himself around women. _

_A familiar twinkling laugh met Dottor's ears. His head shot up and he looked for the source of the noise. _

_He paled. His ex- wife stood there, with her brother and a few other men, laughing, her blue eyes alight with happiness. _

_He ducked out and turned out of the corridor. He hoped she hadn't spotted him. He grabbed a door, tugged on the door, dove in, and slammed the door. _

_"That was close!" He murmured than glanced around. It was a broom closet, with a dirty mop, which was in his face. He grimaced and leaned against the door and tried to turn the door knob only to have his eyes widen and curse. It was locked!_

* * *

Sarah sighed and ran a hand though her shoulder length hair before spotting her blonde friend, Alex and trudged over to her, and to her shock, it was John Massimo.

"Get away!" She waved her hand as if she were gesturing to pigeons. He gave her a glare before stumbling off.

"Hey, Lex lets go back to our room," she whispered in her friend's ear before tugging on her elbow. Her friend nodded and whispered back, "Yeah I have something to tell you, it's important."

Opening the door to their shared suit, she collapsed on the couch and rubbed her temples. Her best friend grinned at her before sitting down on the floor in front of her.

"Guess who else is here?" Her friends brown eyes twinkled.

"Who?" Than it struck her as the words came out of her mouth. "NO!!! Not-," She trailed off.

"Yeah your," she paused dramatically, "ex- husband!"

"Argh!" she moaned, running a hand through her hair. She felt a head ach coming on.

"Hey Sarah," her friend said as Sarah got up and got a glass of water.

"Yeah?" She asked before gulping down some water.

"Do you know anyone named Scipio?" Sarah spat out her water and turned to her friend in shock.

"That's the name of my son!" Alex blinked and frowned.

"Eww that means you had-,"

"Get your mind out of the gutter! Tell me, did John say anything about Scipio?"

"Err, well he said something about teaching him some education but I don't think that man knows anything!"

Sarah frowned and grabbed her purse before finding her cell phone and a recent picture of her son. He was leaning against the banister in her old house, in a tan sweater and his hands in his black pants, a coy grin on his face. The famous Massimo eyes swirled with mystery.

"Here," she handed her friend her son's picture, "I need to call Scipio." She grabbed her cell phone as her friend examined her son's picture.

"Holy-," Alex exclaimed. "If only I were 20 years YOUNGER! He is smoking!" Sarah smiled and dialed her son's phone number.

* * *

Scipio scowled and untied his ankles, and went to stand up when his cell phone rang. He cursed and glanced at the caller I.D.

'Mother,' it said clearly.

"Of all the times to call!" He cursed before answering it.

* * *

"Hello?" Her son's smooth voice said though the speaker phone. Alex winked at the speaker as if her son was standing there. She waved her off and said, "Hey Scipio!"

"Hello Mom," he said. She could here his smile though the phone.

"Hey dear, how's your Dad?" She felt her voice tighten. Scipio answered with an amused voice.

"He's not here actually. On a 'trip', I'm at a friend's house," he said.

"Ahh well you want to here something funny?" She said, hoping she could get her son to laugh. Her son, when he wanted to, could laugh so pleasantly he could probably make the person who had to tightest ass smile- with exception of her ex- husband of course.

"Sure," he said.

"Your father is on the same boat trip," She said, laughing softly. There was a pause before her son's muffled laughter met the two women's ears.

"That is hilarious Mum!" His voice sounded genial. "I have to go, I don't want to wake up Prosper, he's cranky when he doesn't sleep enough!" Sarah grinned and said, "Love you, Scip." There again was a pause before he said, "Love you too, Mum." Than the line went dead.

"He's fine," she murmured to herself, but why did she feel like there was something wrong?

* * *

Scipio bypassed the sleep figures, only pausing to grab his coat.

He opened the door but a tiny voice behind him made him freeze.

"Where are you going Scip?" Scipio whirled around.

Bo stood there in red pajamas, clutching, in one hand, a blanket, the other rubbing his tired eyes.

"I- I have to go home," Scipio said. "Mind not mentioning that you saw me?" He hoped the young boy would not.

"Sure!" He smiled softly before turning and leaving. Scipio smiled fondly. He would give that kid the world once he got home.

'A shopping spree would do! That kid could use a few good sweaters for the winter.'

* * *

**Hey loves,**

**This is my Christmas gift to all! I hope you review; I thank all who did. I hope I added enough humor in this chapter. What do you think of Scipio's mom, cause you are going to see her again and I want to know if I characterized her right. **

**R&R!**

**Bookworm622**


	4. Chapter 4

**-ducks head- Sorry! Sorry Sam! -said person glares- Okay this is for you!**

_Come on, come on  
Jump a little higher  
Come on, come on  
If you feel a little lighter  
Come on, come on  
We were once  
Upon a time in love_

_We're accidentally in love  
Accidentally in love_

_Accidentally in love, Counting crows_

* * *

**Chapter four: Men on roofs. **

I angrily brushed a piece of my bangs away from my face and tucked it behind my ear as I walked slowly down the brick path towards my family's mansion in Italy.

Despite my bad mood, I had to admit it was great living here with the water street (which meant no loud cars at 3 in the morning) and you could push people in if you really wanted to and say that they tripped.

The reason for my bad mood was in three parts, one was a night club that me and my best friend had tried out (no we didn't sneak in, its for teens) and I thought it would be fun to get away and actually have fun; but (here is the second part) a boy tried to flirt with me ending in the third part where he tries to steal my first kiss. I, of course, was not going to take that sort of attitude, kicked him in the balls, and stalked out.

Man, I hate boys, teen boys and men- well how about the mile species in general (exception my Dad). They are rude, arrogant and think just because some women are smaller than them they can just push us to the side!

A sudden click and a cold metal feeling against my head made me freeze and a hard, cold, male voice said into my ear, his hot and disgusting breath against my ear, "Drop the purse." I scowled and felt my spine shiver. I wasn't going to give up my purse to this bozo. I suddenly remembered what my dad said, "When a guns to your head, act like your frightened and knock it out of the freaks hand." I pretended to jump in surprise, I knocked it out of his hand, and I whirled around in a speed I didn't I had and hit him in the balls and threw him into the canal.

I ran blindly away without admiring my work, racing through dark alleys and finally I crawled into a fire escape and on a tall building with a surprising view of Venice.

I panted and leaned against a chimney, pulled my brown hair back and sighed.

"So," said a deep soothing voice from behind me. "Whats a girl like you doing up here?"

I whirled around to find a young man about my age with a weird bird mask on his face that made me stare and when he opened his mouth to say something, I burst out laughing. I felt tears of laughter run down my face.

"Whats wrong?" He sounded indignant and as I wiped the tears from my face and looked him in the eye I said, "Your beak makes made me laugh," I stifled another giggle, "sorry."

He just smiled; to me it looked strained, before sitting next to me.

"Whats your name?" He asked after a silence. I shot him a smile and said in an innocent child way, "Daddy says I shouldn't talk to strangers." His lips twitched before saying, "I'm the Thief Lord, Scipio." He held out his hand and I shook it firmly.

"I'm Sam." I felt my face heating up at his intense stair. Thank god, it was dark out.

"You look Italian." It was a statement, to which I nodded in agreement. I felt a vibration from my purse and pulled out my phone, pausing to say my excuse to Scipio and opened the phone.

"Hello?"

A loud music filled the other line and my best friend, Megan shouted, "WHERE ARE YOU!"

I held the phone away from my face, rubbed my ear, and said calmly, "On a rooftop."

There was only the loud music from the other line for a couple of seconds before Megan shouted again, "HUH?"

"Just hanging out." I tried to sound as casual as possible.

"YOU BETTER NOT BE READING!!!" I rolled my eyes. Just because I loved to read, which I did a lot, doesn't mean I would pass up looking at these sights for reading. Unless it was a tour book, which was an exception on my part.

* * *

The next morning, I lay on my bed in my grandmother's house as the birds chirped out my window. I scowled and rolled over, only to find myself falling off the bed and onto the wood floor.

"Oh shit," I cursed and sat up on the hardware floor. I wore my flannel pants and a tee shirt. Grumbling under my breath, I grabbed my clothes and headed for the shower.

After a quick shower, getting dressed and a try at make-up, I was down stairs, where my grandmother and Megan were talking about some sort of dress on the front cover of this famous magazine that I gave no sparing glance as it didn't appeal to me what zero sized women were wearing.

I shook my head. Way too much thinking in the morning.

"Hey honey!" Grandma apparently saw me. I cursed inwardly. I had no way to escape.

"Hey Sammie!" I looked upward for a few seconds. Why! Why did she need to spot me too! Now I have no escape from their fashion tips.

"Nice hair!" I touched my messy pin up of my hair and smiled sheepishly. No real hard work there but if they liked it maybe I could slip out.

"Yeah, you know Mrs. Bichetti, I saw the same thing---," I didn't stick around the hear the rest as I slipped out the door, but not before grabbing my tour guide book, backpack and an apple.

* * *

Scipio ran a hand through his head as he read his father's shipment to their house. A book on mythological jewelry. It was supposedly to be 'secret' but his father sucked at keeping those things a secret.

"A jewel," he muttered, tracing the picture. It was a locket, heart shaped, and almost average in everyway, except for the gray gem in the middle which was rumored to have powers of its own.

He frowned and placed the book back. Just in time too, he thought, as his father came through the library doors and spotted his son, which brought a slight scowl to his face.

"Did your mother call you?" Scipio coughed slightly and said innocently, "Yes father, she was worried because she didn't see me for so long." His father's eye twitched, which amused Scipio to no end.

"She's visiting." He said, as if the world were to end and all he had left were a pair of Speedo pants and an ugly women.

Scipio grinned and said, "We're better make up a room for her." His father shoot him the, Shut up boy or I will kill you, look before stalking out.

Scipio stretched and snickered. It was funny to annoy his father.

* * *

I sat on the ancient fountains seat, as I scanned the book for something to look at.

Boring, I thought as skipped the page. Boring, boring and so many more boring things.

"Need help?" I looked up, in surprise at the familiarity of the voice, and found myself looking into beautiful black eyes of my bird man.

* * *

**smirk A cliffhanger. What now! It means you will review until I feel satisfied to write another chapter. evil cackle JK. **

**Thanks for reading! Bookworm622**


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